Counterbalance



Aug. 14, 1956 P. C. MONJAR ET L COUNTERBALANCE led April 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

l ma/m1 C MOM/AA, Jam/ 4. R/EHL E andRHARD G. TH/EM ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 14, 1956 MQNJAR ET AL 2,758,333

COUNTERBALANCE Filed April 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PER a VA 1. C. Mom/,4, R, Jo/m A. R/EHL E QrIdgf'R/IA R0 6. 77/15/14 United States PatenrO This invention relates 'to improvements in vertically sliding windows forresidence and industrial buildings and the like; and more particularly to improved automatically operated balancing means for such windows.

Whereas, some prior art window sash balancers utilize 1 manually operable detent means such as loose mails for example, which engage spaced =slots, apertures,- or depressions in the external periphery of a spring biased cable carrying reel for the purpose .of blocking such reel at anyposition thereof whereby the cable thereonwhich is-faseasy removal of such'sash or adjustment thereof to anyposition, the present invention utilizes an improved meansa for automatically operating windows ofthe aforesaidtened'to a sash may be detachedtherefrom topermit type in an improved manner.

One of the objects ,ofthis invention isto provide an-im-- so as to-free the sash for removal from the frame-tor cleaning or other servicing.

Another object of this invention is to providean improved means ina window balancer device, whereby their-"- latter. may be. conveniently automatically'locked -against--- operation at any position of the sash.

Still another object of this invention is to provide im proved mounting means for window-balancer devices as 1 aforesaid. soas to thereby provide a multiplesash controls device of improved form.

Other objectsand advantages of theinvention will ap-g 45 pear. from the specification hereinafter;

In the drawing:

Fig. 1.,is a front elevational-view, partially-broken \1 Percival C. =Monjar-, -Blasdell, John A. Riehle 'o'rchard 30 proved window sash balance mechanism which .is adaptedr? to be automatically locked with improved facilityat an-y position of adjustment, whereby thebalancer is inactivated i away showing byway of example one. embodiment-of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a frontelevational view, reduced -in--size, showfor servicing purposes; I

Fig. 3 is a detailed bottom plan view of the counter balance deviceof the invention as shown in Fig. l, .with the base plate;portion thereofpartially broken 'awayp ti '50 ing the. sash balance device ofthe inventionin-inactivecondition, thereby permitting removal of the window sash Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of thedevice of -Fig"3;.--

with the central portion-thereof brokenaway as'indicatedby the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig.1 4;-

60 Fig. 6-is a fragmentarybottom detail plan viewshowing one. of the. counterbalance devices in-locked position of; and. a

rotation thereof-.-

Referring moreparticularly to :Figs-l-and Z-thei-eais wall 14. Spaced indented channels-or grooves- =are e formed "to required dimensions in the frame 10 to accommodate the window sashes 16 and 17 in free-fit-relation therein and said channels are of suflicient depthin a the transomand the right-hand mullion to permit 'a' Weatherstrip 18 backedby a sponge rubber strip 19 to be lined ;therein. Hence, when in installed position the window sash is weather-sealed by the steady pressure-05' the rubber strip 19 and is removable from the frame byv first pushingthe sash sidewise into the channel or groove against the sponge rubber pressure until the sash comes 1 clear-of the-opposite channel. The sash may then be re-- moved by an inward swinging motion as shownin Fig. 2. The frame structure '10 may, of course, be-of any desired construction, such as of wood, or itmay be a pressed or extruded metal section fabrication as illustrated in the drawings In any event, as is customary-in the window art,. the movable sash members are fitted with hook -del vices such as are indicated at 20-20 to which are detachably connected eye devices 21-21 fixedto the lower ends of the corresponding balancer pull devices such as are shown in the drawing to comprise metallic strips or wires-22-22.

Mounted on the transom member 13 at one end thereof is a counterbalance device of the present invention as indicated tat- 23. The device includes a housing member 24 which :is-preferably formed of sheet metal stamped into\a generally rectangular open bottom box form in-" cludingside-wall portions 25 and 26 and an end Wall portion 27 having an'integral flange 28 into which are formed apertures29-29 (Figs. 3-4). Plate portion 30' of the-housing 24 as viewed from externally thereof has pressed in-intaglio arcuate shaped wire guide portions'31 and a stifiener rib 32, and a pair of circular embossments 33 and-34-to accommodate wire guide rolls as will be explainedhereinafter; The side walls25 and 26 have ratchet pawl rreceiving' notches 35-36 and 37-38, respec- 1 tivelyyformed therein, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4. Reinforcing-stop plates-35a and 36:: are preferably fixed to the sidewalls adjacent the notches 35 and 36. The housing structure-includes a channel-sectioned cross beam 40 integral" therewith, and the bottom plate portion of the beam is'apert-ured to-accommodate mounting screws 41 therethrough-a The top plateportion 30 is of course suitably apertured to permit a screwdriver to be inserted fora driving thetscrews 41'; t

lnteriorlyqof the housing 24- are rotatably mounted 'a pair-ofreels or drums 42-42 as shown in detail in Figs.

3 and 4. The reels are formed of sheet metal, or the like, into generally cup-shaped configurations-having in each case a centrally-apertured hub portion 43- and a recessed,

generallytapered petipheral surface 44. In each case the reelsurface'44-isdiscontinuous-and one end thereof -is pressed inwardly. to .forma'lip 45 and the otherend isformed with a centrally enlarged slot 46. The external lowerannular-s'urface of the reel is formed with a boss 1 portion- 47 -which'is centrally apertured as indicated'at 48.

Split reel hubs-49-49 are mounted integral with the top platet30 in -fixed vertical relation to the housing structure centrally of the reels 42-42.

The *reels are rotatably mounted in the housing by means-of'headed axles 54-54 having shank portions 55- 55 and reduceddiameter'end portions 56-56; the shank I portions thereof being" journaled through the centrally and indicating the manner of centrifugal operation-there member as'shown in Fig. 4- A clock type spring 51 is connected at" its opposite ends asindicated' at 52 and '53 respectively inside of each of the reels so that the reels are thereby-'spring-urged to rotate-in counterclockwise direction-when viewed from beneath the reels. Hence, the

reels are spring-urged in winding direction. 1 It is especial--= ly noted that the generally round heads of the axles 54- Patented Aug 14, .1956

54 have chordal segments thereof cut away to provide flat lands as indicated at Sea-54a for a purpose noted hereinafter.

Wire guide rollers 56 and 57 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are rotatably mounted in the housing by means of axles extending through apertured portions 58 and 59 of the housing; the axles being headed as indicated at 6061 and having shank portions 62 and 63. The transverse support and guide channel member 40 comprises side walls 64 fixed at their ends to the housing as indicated at 64a64a. Aligned guide grooves or notches are cut in the aforesaid side walls 64 so that tunnels 6S and 66 are thereby formed through the transverse channel device to admit the wires 2222 into the'reels. In line with the aforesaid transverse channel 40 and parallel thereto are rollers 67, 68 and 69 rotatably carried by a roller axle 70 which is fixed in the housing side wall portions 25 and 26; said rollers having spaced annular grooves 71 and 72 in their peripheries in alignment with the aforesaid tunnels 6S and 66. A washer 73 is mounted on the axle 70 between the roller 67 and the sidewall portion 25 to guide the wire 22 to remain in the groove 71 of the roller. The housing sidewall 26 is slit at 7474 (Fig. 4) and the wall portion 75 therebetween is inwardly bent as shown in Fig. 3 to prohibit end play of the rollers 67, 68, 69. For mounting purposes and to close the bottom of the housing there is provided a base plate 76 having spaced grommeted apertures 77 and 78 therein in alignment with the aforesaid annular grooves 71 and 72 in the rollers 67, 68 and having suitable mount ing holes in alignment with the mounting holes in the housing and in the transverse beam 49.

The sash cords or strips or wires as indicated at 2222 each extend upwardly through the base plate, being threaded in the grommets 77 and 78 therethrough, respectively; and then train over the rollers 67, 68 in the annular grooves 71 and 72 thereof. They then train through the tunnels 65 and 66, respectively, and past the roller 56 at opposite sides thereof, and then wrap around the peripheries of the balancer reels 4242, respectively. A boss device as indicated at 7979 is devised at the end of such strips or wires, which are then slipped through and caught in the centrally enlarged slot 46 in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It is to be understood that while the above arrangement is adapted as a right-hand window unit, a left-hand unit may be similarly constructed by shifting the positions of the grommets 77 and 78 and of the annular grooves 71 and 72, and of the tunnels 65 and 66 as required, and by reversing the direction of the spring actions in the balancer reels.

A pair of guide members 80-80 which can comprise flat spring means, are fixed to the housing sidewall pornotched side wall and the stop member fixed adjacent thereto. At the same time a base edge portion 86 thereof is aligned with the land 54a of the axle head and bears thereagainst to block further rotation of the balancer reel in wire winding direction.

It is to be understood that the stationary axle head 54 and the pawl pivot pin 82 are so positionally related that under normal lifting or lowering speeds of the window sash the pawl assumes the position on the reel shown by broken lines at the left hand side of Fig. 6 wherein the pawl surface 86 clears the axle head 54. To lock the balancer device in inactive position, it is only necessary to jerk the window sash in an upward direction at. any desired position thereof, thereby permitting relatively rapid acceleration of the balancer reel in response to the spring action thereon, so that the resulting centrifugal force acts through the center of mass of the pawl member to cause it to rotate on its pivot through the entermediate position thereof as indicated at the right hand side portion of Fig. 6 before flying further outwardly into the blocking position thereof as shown by solid lines in Fig. 6. Under this condition the window sash is freed to be disconnected from the sash cord 22 for removal of the sashfor servicing purposes.

It is apparent that unlocking of the balancer unit may be readily accomplished by a simple reverse rotation of the balancer reel, such as by rehooking the sash to the cord and lowering the sash. In response to this the pawl 83 retracts in the manner shown in Fig. 7 so that the land portion 541: of the axle head pivots the pawl about its mounting pin in a direction opposite to that caused by the-centrifugal force thereon as previously described, until it is in the normal unlocked attitude shown by solid lines in Fig. 7. Thus, it will be understood that, except where inactivation of the balancer device is intentionally accomplished as aforesaid, the window sashes may be freely raised and lowered at normal speeds.

Having thus described, in detail, one form of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the-invention is not so limited but that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a window balancer device, a rotatable drum having'a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon, spring means arranged within said drum to bias the latter to rotate in strand winding direction, a pawl member pivotally mounted on a side of said drum for rotation therewith, said pivotal mounting being located intermediate the ends of said pawl member at a point ofiset from the center of mass of said pawl member, stationary pawl abutment means adjacent said side in substantially axial alignment with said drum for limiting intion 26 as indicated at 81-81 to partially encircle the peripheries of the balancer reels, thereby retaining the" ward pivotal movements of the inner end of said pawl member, and stop means located outwardly of said drum for engagement by the outer end of said pawl member upon predetermined outward pivotal movement thereof,

- said abutment means and said stop means being rela- 2. In a window balancer device, a rotatable balancer forwardly and outwardly relative to its pivotal mounting member 82, in view of the aforesaid strand winding di-' rection of rotation of the balancer reel.

Thus, it is apparent that centrifugal force due to rotation of the balan- 1 cer reel will cause the pawl member to pivot iii-opposite bet is also frustrumed at 84 and at 85 so that whemthe pawl is in blocking position as shown in Fig. 6, the irusturn edge 84 is perpendicular to and bears against the reel having a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon, stationary axle means journaled through said balancer reel and having a generally flat segmental surface thereon, clock-spring means connected to bias said reel to rotate in strand winding direction, stop means externally of the periphery of said balancer reel, and a pawl member pivotally mounted on said reel for rotation therewith, said pawl member pivotal mounting being at a point offset from the center of mass of said pawl member, a first end portion'of said pawl member being arranged to contact saidflat surface to limit pivotal movement of said pawl member in one direction, the other end portion of said pawl member being arranged to be pivoted in said one direction by centrifugal force due to rapid rotation of said reel to engage said stop means simultaneously with contact of said pawl member first end portion with said flat surface to inactivate said device.

3. In a window balancer device, a rotatable drum having a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon, spring means arranged to bias said drum to rotate in strand winding direction, a pawl member pivotally mounted on said drum at a point offset from the center of mass of said pawl member for rotation with said drum, limit means permitting pivoting of said pawl member under the urge of centrifugal force in a direction opposite said strand winding direction at a predetermined angular disposition of said drum, and pawl stop means near the periphery of said drum, said stop means being so positionally arranged that when said pawl member is pivoted by said centrifugal force when said drum is rapidly rotated one end of said pawl member will engage said stop means simultaneously with engagement by the other end thereof with said limit means whereby said drum will be blocked against rotation by said spring means.

4. A multiple sash window balancer device, comprising a plurality of drums having window lift strand devices in wound about relation thereon, spring means arranged within said drums to bias the latter to rotate in strand winding direction, first roller means to separate said strand devices, means having spaced tunnels therein for guiding said strand devices, second roller means having annular grooves thereon for guiding said strand devices downwardly, casing means having stop means near the peripheries of said drums, pawl members pivotally mounted at a point offset from their center of mass on each of said drums and rotatable therewith, limit means for permitting pivoting of said pawl members under the urge of centrifugal force in a direction opposite said strand winding direction at a predetermined rotated position of said drum, said stop means being so positionally arranged adjacent said drum that said pawl members will be pivoted by centrifugal force when said drum is rapidly rotated so that one end of each of said pawl members will engage said stop means simultaneously with engagement of the other ends of each thereof with said limit means whereby said drums may be blocked against rotation by said spring means.

5. In a window balancer device, a rotatable drum having a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon, spring means arranged to bias said drum to rotate in strand winding direction, a pawl member pivotally mounted on said drum at a point offset from its center of mass, pawl limit means arranged to maintain the pawl center of mass forwardly and outwardly relative to the pawl pivotal mounting in view of the strand winding direction of rotation of said drum and to permit pivoting of said pawl member in a direction opposite said strand winding direction at a predetermined angular disposition of said drum, and stop means positionally located adjacent said drum for engagement by one end of said pawl member simultaneously with engagement by the other end thereof with said limit means while at said predetermined angular disposition of said drum, whereby said pawl member will be pivoted by centrifugal force when said drum is rapidly rotated to block rotation of said drum responsive to said spring means.

6. In a window balancer device, a balancer reel having a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon, axle means rotatably mounting said balancer reel and having a first pawl abutment surface adjacent a side of said reel and substantially centrally thereof, spring means biasing said reel to rotate in strand Winding direction, a second pawl abutment surface adjacent the periphery of said balancer reel, and a pawl member pivotally mounted at a point offset from its center of mass on said side of said reel and having its opposite end portions projecting to contact saidfi'rstand s'e'con'd paw-r abutment surfaces at an end'liinit er pivotal movement, the-'center of' mass of said pawl member being positioned forwardly and outwardly relative to its pivotal mounting in view of said strand winding direction: of rotation, whereby said pawl member will be urged by centrifugal force to pivot into blocking engagement between saidpawl abutment surfaces to inactivate said' device. g

7'. In a window balancer device; a drum havinga window' lift strand device inwound aboutrelation thereon; spring means arranged"within said drum to bias the latter to rotate in strand winding direction, a pawl member pivotally mounted on said drum for rotation therewith andhavingits'centerio'f mass located forwardly and out wardly relative to its pivotal mounting in view of said strand winding directionof rotation of said balancer drum; whereby said pawl memberwill" pivot in a rotational direction opposite said strand winding directionof rotation in response to centrifugal force produced thereby, cam means engaging the inner end of saidpawllmember for blocking such pivoting thereof about a substantial pot non of the eriphery of said cam means while permitting limited pivotal movementa't a predetermined angular. disposition of said pawl member relative to said cam means, and stop means near the periphery of said drum, said cam means and said stop means being so arranged that said pawl member will be pivoted" by centrifugal force at said predetermined angular disposition into engagement at one end with said stop means simultaneously'wi'th engagem'ent of the other end with said cam means" whereby said drum is blocked against rotation responsive to said spring means.

8. A multiple sash window balancer device, comprising a generally box-like casing, a plurality of rotatable drums having first axes of rotation in perpendicular relation to the bottom of said casing, said drums having window lift strand devices wound thereabout and extending therefrom, spring means arranged within said drums to bias them to rotate in strand winding direction, first rotatable sheave means having second axes of rotation parallel to said first axes of rotation for maintaining said strand devices in spaced apart relation, a guide member fixed crosswise of said casing adjacent said first sheave means and providing spaced tunnels for admitting said strand devices in guided relation therethrough, second rotatable sheave means mounted adjacent said guide member and having third axes of rotation generally perpendicular to said first and second axes, said strand devices training over said second sheave means and then downwardly, casing stop means near the peripheries of said drums, a pivotally mounted pawl member having its center of mass located forwardly and outwardly relative to its pivotal mounting in view of said strand winding direction of rotation of said drums and being fixed to an end face of each of said drums for pivoting thereon in a rotational direction opposite said strand winding direction of rotation, and stationary pawl blocking means being so radially and positionally arranged relative to said pawl members and said stop means so that said pawl members will be pivoted by centrifugal force due to accelerated rotation of said drums to simultaneously engage said pawl blocking means and said stop means to block said drums against the force of the spring means contained therein.

9. A multiple sash window balancer device, comprising a casing, a plurality of rotatable drums mounted on the casing bottom portion and each having a window lift strand device wound about thereon and extending away therefrom, spring means arranged within said drums to bias them to rotate in strand winding direction, first sheave means mounted uprightly relative to said casing bottom portion for guiding said strand devices in spaced apart condition, a crosswise strand guide element fixed adjacent said first sheave means and having spaced tunnels for passage of said strand devices therethrough, second sheave means mountedadjacent and parallel to said guide element from which said strand devices will extend to train around said second sheave means to be guided downwardly for connection to the respective sashes of a window, casing stop means positioned near the peripheries of said drums, means fixed to extend from said casing to partially encircle said wound about window lift strand devices on each of said drums to limit backlash of said window lift strand device, a pawl member being pivotally mounted at a point olfset from its center of mass on each of said drums for rotation therewith whereby the pawl members will pivot in a rotational direction opposite said strand winding direction of rotation, stationary pawl limiting means for limiting movements of the inner end of said pawl members, said limiting means, said casing stop means, and said pawl members being arranged in predetermined relative positional orientation in order that at a predetermined angular disposition of said pawl members they will be pivoted by centrifugal force when said drum is rotating so that the ends of said pawl members will simultaneously engage said limit means and said stop means whereby said drums may be blocked against rotation by said spring means.

10. In a window balancer device, a rotatable drum having a window lift strand device in wound about relation thereon and extending therefrom, means arranged to partially encircle the wound portion of said window lift strand device to limit strand backlash during operation, spring means arranged within said drum to bias it to rotate in strand windingdirection, a pawl member 235 being pivotally mounted on said drum so as to be rotatably carried therewith and arranged to have its center of mass forwardly and outwardly positionally located relative to its pivotal mounting in View of the strand winding direction of rotation of said drum in order that said pawl member may be pivoted in a rotational direction opposite said strand winding direction of rotation by a centrifugal force due to accelerated rotation of said drum, stationary pawl limiting means for stopping movement of the inner end of said pawl member while permitting limited movement thereof at a predetermined angular disposition thereof, and stop means radially positionally located near the periphery of said drum and ar ranged to be engaged by the outer end of said pawl simultaneously with movement thereof at said predetermined angular disposition to block said drum against rotation by said spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 164,361 Bettys June 15, 1875 271,691 Quillfeldt Feb. 6, 1883 1,242,362 Moors Oct. 9, 1917 1,254,647 Bennett Jan. 29, 1918 1,898,584 Mantz Feb. 21, 1933 1,931,582 Kilberg Oct. 24, 1933 2,226,721 Hufi Dec. 31, 1940 2,679,659 Grupp June 1, 1954 

